


Not Again

by Avistella



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: -Ish, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert, Takes place in Xenologue: The Future Past 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 11:31:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12911037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avistella/pseuds/Avistella
Summary: You go back to the future to save Inigo. The Inigo of that time is surprised to see you, and for good reason.





	Not Again

It was a split second decision that Inigo made when he cut off the ropes for the bridge, his allies having moved on ahead of him. The young man was reluctant to do so, wanting to be able to fight alongside his friends much longer and see the dawn of a peaceful world, but he couldn't be selfish now. It was either him or all of them against the horde of Risen hot on their tracks, and he knew that time was of the essence.

Swallowing hard, Inigo tightened the grip on the hilt of his sword and smiled despite the situation and his own doubts. He had to be strong. Everyone was counting on him. He was...prepared. The Risen should be here soon enough, and this may very well be his last stand. There was barely anything left in this world for him to live for in any case, his mind wandering back to that fateful day when he lost you. It was the only time he shed his tears for others to see.

" _Inigo!_ "

The aspiring dancer snaps out of his thoughts and perks up at the familiar voice calling his name, frantically looking around for the source. His eyes then land upon your approaching figure amidst this storm, and his breath hitches in his throat. There's no way he can mistake your face for anyone else, but even so...

"It... It can't be," Inigo breathes out, the words coming out painfully tight from his chest when you stop just in front of him.

His sword clatters to the dirt as he lets go of his weapon without a second thought, both of his arms shaking and eyes wide with disbelief as he reaches out to touch you. You stand perfectly still, a sad and almost pitying expression on your features, understanding full well that your appearance here might have been quite a shock to him. 

You knew straight away when the Inigo of this future cut the bridge that this timeline was different from yours. After all, you remember this valley from before you and the others travelled back to the past to stop Grima. At that time, there was no need for such a drastic and desperate decision on his part because there were no Risen following you then. When you saw the other group go on ahead, you didn't see your face amongst them, meaning the you of this timeline must have died earlier at some point. Inigo's reaction when he saw you pretty much confirmed your suspicion.

"You're... You're _alive_ ," the young man manages to choke out, his fingertips hesitating. It's all too good to be true, and he's afraid that this might be a delusion that his turmoiled heart conjured up that will slip away the moment he touches you.

Slowly, you lift up your hands and place them atop his, pressing them down so that his palms can finally make contact with your cheeks to show him that you're real. Inigo takes a sharp inhale of breath, his hands trembling against your face. His vision starts to blur, and he can't tell if it's because of the relentless rain that continues to pound on both of your figures or something else.

_Gods_ , he can still remember it. The last time he was able to cup your cheeks like this was when he had no choice but to leave your corpse behind, shouting and crying to the heavens while forcefully pulled away by his friends. At that time, your face was caked with dirt and blood, both fresh and old. He remembers how pale you looked, your lifeless eyes then closed forever, but now...

"Inigo..." you softly call out his name, hoping to bring him away from his painful memories and back to the present where it matters.

Unable to help himself, Inigo pulls your face forward and crashes his lips against yours with intense force that makes you stumble for a second. The sudden action draws a muffled gasp from you as Inigo feverishly moves his mouth against yours, harsh and desperate. There isn't a single hint of his usual shyness that you were used to, all of his longing and emotions laid bare as he pries your lips apart with his tongue, slipping the wet muscle inside unreservedly.

Inigo tilts his head to the side to deepen the kiss, moaning against you when his tongue hungrily explores the inside of your mouth, your taste exactly as how he imagined it from all those times before. The raw passion he emits makes you weak in the knees, and you clutch onto the back of his shirt. Inigo wraps one arm around your waist for support, pulling your body flush against his while his other hand cards through your hair, an action that always helped calm him down.

Eventually, the aspiring dancer pulls away with much reluctance, the both of you completely out of breath and panting for air. He stares at you with lidded eyes, and he looks relieved. That expression sends a guilty pang to your heart, and you shamefully bow your head before muttering, "I'm sorry..."

Inigo cups your chin between his fingers and tilts your head back up to look at him. He leans forward and closes the gap between you two once more, except this time, it's much more soft and gentle, and you can feel the slightest hint of trembles from his lips. "What are you apologizing for, my love?" His question comes out quiet, barely audible amongst the pouring rain around you.

"I'm not them," you explain, getting straight to the point and not bothering to waste time. The mercenary's eyes widen, confused, but at the same time, deep in his heart he understands. Keeping your voice firm and even, you continue, "I come from another alternate time to save you. The person that you love isn't me..."

"That may be true, but even so..." Inigo responds, tenderly stroking your cheek and tracing the shape of your jaw, "I'm glad to have been able to see you again, alive and well."

A heavy silence then looms over, and the young man's gaze drops to the ground. He sees his fallen sword, a reminder of his situation, and a part of him breaks. " _Gods, I_ —" he starts but ends up choking on a guttural sob. Despite the warmth he can feel from you, Inigo's body shakes. "I missed you so much. I wanted to see you again and hold you again... That's why... Please, leave..."

"No," you reply without missing a beat, your voice strong and firm.

The mercenary presses his lips together in a tight line, his eyes closing shut in defeat as though he expected that kind of reaction. "I will not— _can not bear_ —to watch you die in front of my eyes a second time. Please, don't make me experience that again... Never again..."

Your heart clenches at his open vulnerability, and as much as you wish to respect Inigo's wish, you can't. You, along with the rest of the Shepherds, came here for a purpose, and you refuse to leave until you saw it through. Shaking your head, you take a step closer to the young man and hold him in your arms. "I won't. I won't die, Inigo, so please... Let me fight alongside you once more."

There's no time to lose. The Risen are almost here to block of all exits. When that happens, Inigo concludes that the only safe place for you is at his side, as it always has been. Slowly, the mercenary bends down to pick up his weapon once more, feeling oddly calm. "Alright..." he concedes. "As long as you promise not to die, then we'll dance."

You breathe out a sigh of relief and nod your head. "It would be an honour to dance with you once again."

* * *

With a heaving chest, you prop your weapon up on the ground to support yourself and regain your energy. Your figure is decorated with blood, both belonging to you and your vanquished enemies, but you'll live through your injuries. Surely whatever destiny was set in stone had changed with just this.

You hear Inigo call your name, rushing towards you after having finished the last of the horde of monsters. He looks just as bad as you if not more so, but there's a large grin on his face as he sweeps you up in his arms and twirls you around. "We did it," he says before capturing your lips for another searing kiss.

"Yes... I'm so glad..." you exhale with fatigue, resting your head atop the young man's shoulder as he soothingly rubs your back.

The previous tension in the air has dissipated, and the rain is slowly starting to clear up. All that's left to do is meet up with the others and deliver the Gemstones, hoping the others were just as successful with their mission. Pulling away from you, Inigo suggests, "Stay with me."

"What...?"

"Stay with me," he repeats, his expression turning hopeful with a hint of melancholy as he stares into your eyes. "We'll fight Grima together, and then, once we finally bring peace to this world, we'll get married and raise a family like promised."

The mercenary's words are like a knife twisting into your heart, and your expression falls. "Oh Inigo..." you sigh apologetically. "I-I can't. I have to go back to my own world. I'm so sorry."

"I see..." Inigo's arms fall and hang loosely by his sides. He fumbles backwards a few steps, an obviously forced smile on his lips as he accepts, "Yeah, I figured that's how it's supposed to be..." The aspiring dancer can't take it. It feels like his chest is being clawed at, and tears streak his face as he hiccups. "Can I... ask you one question?"

It's the least you can do for him, so you nod your head, your throat having clamped up. Furiously wiping at his eyes with his sleeves, Inigo brings himself to look at you with the brightest features he can muster at the time and asks, "Am I... Is the Inigo of your time still alive and with you?"

"Yes."

Inigo's shoulders relax, relieved, as he says, "That's good. That's... good. ...Promise me that the two of you will live happily together."

"Of course, I promise. But in turn, promise me that you'll live a happy life as well," you answer, and the young man shakes his head with a wry smile.

"I can't. I can't promise you that if you aren't by my side."

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I keep on writing angst for Inigo but gdi I can't stop--


End file.
